Watchkeeping

U.S., Partners Experiment with New Weapon Systems During RIMPAC 2024 SINKEX

Royal Netherlands Navy De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Tromp (F803) fires a Harpoon missile throughout a long-planned dwell fireplace sinking train as a part of Train Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Royal Netherlands Navy Picture

The U.S. navy is experimenting with potential future weapon programs on the ongoing Rim of the Pacific 2024 train in Hawaii, utilizing a weapon referred to as QUICKSINK throughout the biennial drill’s sinking train.

U.S. forces used QUICKSINK – born out of collaboration between the Air Pressure Analysis Laboratory and the U.S. Navy – within the Friday sinking train that featured former amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA-1) because the goal, in response to a Monday U.S. third Fleet information launch.

“[I]n a partnership with the U.S. Navy, a U.S. Air Pressure B-2 Spirit stealth bomber proved a low-cost, air-delivered methodology for defeating floor vessels via a QUICKSINK demonstration, as a part of the second SINKEX,” U.S. third Fleet stated within the launch.“The QUICKSINK experiment is funded by the Workplace of the Beneath Secretary of Protection for Analysis and Engineering and goals to supply choices to neutralize floor maritime threats whereas demonstrating the inherent flexibility of the joint drive. This functionality is a solution to an pressing have to rapidly neutralize maritime threats over large expanses of ocean around the globe at minimal prices.”

Through the Friday SINKEX, U.S. forces additionally used a F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet outfitted with a Lengthy-Vary Anti-Ship Missile. The Royal Australian Navy additionally had the prospect to carry out a profitable dwell fireplace testing of its Naval Strike Missile, which destroyer HMAS Sydney (DDG-42) fired on the previous Tarawa throughout the SINKEX.

“Through the SINKEXs, taking part items from Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the U.S. Air Pressure, Military and Navy gained proficiency in ways, focusing on and dwell firing towards floor ships at sea,” third Fleet stated within the launch.  

Along with the Friday SINKEX with the previous Tarawa, RIMPAC contributors additionally joined for a SINKEX on July 11 that includes former Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Dubuque (LPD-8), which was decommissioned in 2011.

“Sinking workout routines give us an opportunity to sharpen our abilities, be taught from each other, and get real-world expertise,” U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Wade, the commander of Navy third Fleet and the mixed job drive commander for RIMPAC, stated in a the information launch. “Utilizing superior weapons and seeing the professionalism of our groups throughout these drills reveals our dedication to conserving the Indo-Pacific area secure and open.”

The discharge didn’t state what number of days it took to conduct the 2 SINKEXs. Within the case of the previous Tarawa, launched imagery to this point solely reveals firings occurring on Thursday, in distinction to the discharge stating that the previous Tarawa sank on Friday.

Imagery launched on DVIDS confirmed Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS Tromp (F803) firing a Harpoon anti-ship missile. South Korea’s Yonhap Information Company reported on July 10, citing a Republic of Korea Navy information launch, that ROKN submarine ROKS Lee Beom-seok (SS-081) would participate in a SINKEX on July 18 at RIMPAC 2024. The ROKN submarine carries torpedoes and submarine-launched anti-ship missiles. The Royal Malaysian Navy is taking part with frigate KD Lekiu (FFGH30), which carries the Exocet anti-ship missile however has not disclosed which SINKEX Lekiu participated in.

Launched imagery additionally reveals an AH-64 Apache helicopter hooked up to 2nd Battalion, sixth Cavalry Squadron, twenty fifth Fight Aviation Brigade, twenty fifth Infantry Division firing a Hellfire missile towards the previous Dubuque.

A Frequent Unmanned Floor Automobile (CUSV), heads out to sea for the Poniard launching take a look at from ROKS Cheon Ja Bong as a part of the Rim of the Pacific Train (RIMPAC), 12 July. U.S. Navy Picture

In a separate information launch issued Monday, the U.S. Navy stated it carried out “the profitable launching and testing of Poniard rockets from a Frequent Unmanned Floor Automobile (CUSV)” throughout RIMPAC earlier this month. Poniard is a 2.75 inch low-cost guided rocket developed by South Korean protection firm LiG Nex1.

Through the exams, the U.S. Navy fired a number of Poniard rockets off the CUSV in what this system govt workplace for unmanned and small combatants described because the “culminating occasion of an ongoing Overseas Comparative Take a look at (FCT) venture beneath the auspices of the Workplace of the Beneath Secretary of Protection for Analysis and Engineering (OUSD R&E).”

LiG Nex1 issued its personal launch on July 15 stating that each one six rockets efficiently hit their goal and that the CUSV was deployed from the ROKN tank touchdown ship ROKS Cheon Ja Bong (LST-687) for the trial. The ROKN amphibious ship is a part of the ROKN job group taking part in RIMPAC 2024. LiG Nex1 additionally stated that U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti visited Cheon Ja Bong throughout the trials and obtained a briefing on the rocket system. Following the profitable trials, the corporate stated it’s now specializing in securing an export contract with america.

RIMPAC 2024 additionally earlier noticed firings of surface-to-air missiles with the ROKN disclosing that destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG-992) efficiently hit an unmanned aerial goal with its SM-2 surface-to-air missile on July 9. In the meantime, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence issued a information launch stating that for the RIMPAC 2024 train, frigate RSS Stalwart (72) was main a four-ship job group. ROKN destroyer ROKS Chungmugong Yi Solar-sin (DDH-975), Mexican Navy frigate ARM Benito Judrez, (POLA-101) and destroyer USS Gridley (DDG-101) are the opposite ships within the group. Through the train, Stalwart additionally efficiently fired two Aster surface-to-air missiles to take down two simultaneous inbound missiles, which had been simulated by high-speed, sea-skimming aerial drones.


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Ryan

Ryan O'Neill is a maritime enthusiast and writer who has a passion for studying and writing about ships and the maritime industry in general. With a deep passion for the sea and all things nautical, Ryan has a plan to unite maritime professionals to share their knowledge and truly connect Sea 2 Shore.

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